12. Social System of Islam - III [Pg.11]
Safeguards, Self-Purification, Haya (Shyness), Hidden Motives, The Evil
Look, Urge
for Display, The Voice, The Sound, The Perfume, Nudity, Punitive Laws, Punishment
for Fornication, Punishment for Columny, Preventive Measures, Injunctions
for
Clothing and Covering of Nakedness, Boundaries of Star (Clothing Parts)
for Males,
Boundaries of Star for Females, Regulations for Entrance, Prohibition of
touching or
Having Privacy with Women, Distinction Between Mahram and non-Mahram Males.

14. Divine Laws for the Movements of Women
Safeguards, Permission to Leave the House, Permission to Visit the Mosque,
Conditions of Visiting the Mosque, Rules for Women during Hajj, Participation
in Friday and Id Prayers, Attending Funerals and Visiting Graves, Participation
in Battle.

The first and foremost problem of mans community life on whose fair and rational
solution depends his real advancement and well-being is the proper adjustment
of the mutual relationships between the husband and the wife. For it is these
relationships which provide the real basis for mans social life and on their
strength and stability depends his future well being.

Important as the solution of this problem is, its intricate nature has baffled
philosophers and sages from the earliest times. In fact, one cannot be expected
to offer its just and fair solution unless one has acquired a complete and comprehensive
view of the whole human nature. But this is not an easy thing for man is a world
in himself. His physical and mental make-up, his energies end capabilities,
his desires and demands, his emotions and feelings, and his active aid passive
relationships with countless things outside him, these constitute a world in
themselves. Man cannot be completely understood unless each nook and corner
of this vast world is fully brought within a clear view. Conversely, the basic
human problems cannot be solved unless man himself is first completely understood.

The enigma of human nature has defied solution by man since the earliest times
and it still remains unsolved. The truth is that man has not yet been able to
discover and explain all the facts and phenomena of this world. None of the
sciences has so far attained that stage of perfection where it could claim to
have encompassed all knowledge pertaining to its own particular sphere. Even
those facts and phenomena that have been discovered and explained are so vast
and complex in themselves that no man (or men) can have a complete view of all
their facets simultaneously. If one tries to concentrate on one facet, the others
recede into the background. Sometimes one is not able to give all ones attention
to it and sometimes personal inclinations and whims distort its view. On account
of these inherent weaknesses, man with all has ingenuities has failed to solve
the problems of his own life. His own growing experience brings out flaws in
his best thought out solutions. Real solution is indeed impossible without attaining
a balanced view of the whole human nature, and a balanced view of it is impossible
unless all the aspects of the known facts at least, are kept in view at one
and the same time. But when the field to be viewed is too vast, and ones personal
whims, likes and dislikes, too powerful to allow an unbiased picture, one cannot
possibly attain a balanced view of things. Any solution under such conditions
as these will naturally be based on one extreme or the other.

In order to illustrate this, let us go back to history. We come across various
exaggerated notions based on the conflict of the two extremes. On the one hand,
we find that the woman, who gives birth to man as mother and accompanies him
in all the ups and downs of life as wife, has been reduced to the position of
a maid, rather bondwoman. She is treated as other chattels, she is deprived
of all rights of inheritance and ownership, she is regarded as an embodiment
of sin and misfortune, and is refused all opportunities for developing and unfolding
her personality. On the other hand, we find that the same woman is raised to
prominence in a manner and with the result that a storm of immorality and licentiousness
follows in her wake. She is made a plaything for carnal indulgence, she is actually
reduced to the position of the Devils agent, and with her rise to prominence
starts the degeneration of mankind in general.

These two extremes are not merely theoretical but they exist in practice
as well, and it is because of their evil consequences in the practical life
that we pronounce them as immoral extremes. History testifies that when a community
shakes off barbarism and advances towards civilization, its woman follow its
men as maids and bond-women. Initially the community gains momentum from the
store of energies that accrue from the wild life of the desert, but at a later
stage of development it begins to realize that it cannot go any further by keeping
half of its population in a state of bondage. Thus, when the community finds
the pace of advancement being retarded, the feeling of necessity compels it
to enable the neglected half also to keep pace with the advanced half. But then
it does not rest content with making amends only, it bestows undue freedom upon
the fair sex with the result that the latters excessive freedom deals a fatal
blow at the family life which is the very basis of civilization. More than that,
the free intermingling of the sexes brings in its wake a flood of obscenity,
licentiousness and sexual perversion, which ruin the morals of the whole community.
Along with this moral depravity starts the gradual weakening of the intellectual,
physical and material energies of the community, which eventually leads it to
total collapse and destruction.